Dear Chef Kathleen,

I need advice on how to avoid "buffet remorse." This past Mother's Day, the family went out to a lovely local restaurant, and I could not stop myself from pigging out. I felt the need to try everything that I saw before me. There were five or six side salads, and I tried them all. Dessert? I usually try to avoid dessert, but for some reason, I found myself with a plate of choices and again tried them all. It's as if I feel the need to eat as much as possible when the food is free for the taking. My sister is hosting a family party for Memorial Day. How can I avoid this sort of binge again?

Tamara


Dear Tamara,

First of all, don't beat yourself up over one bad day. Think of this as a lesson learned and move on. Negative dialogue will only keep you from sticking to your goals in the future. Good for you for realizing where you're having trouble and reaching out for help when you need it.

"Buffet remorse" is a common problem. I'm sure if you had a chance to look around, you likely saw you weren't the only one with your plate piled high. Everyone likes to get their "money's worth." From now on, look at buffets not as a bargain but as a potential pitfall. How much will it cost you to get back on track? How much work are you willing to put in to make up for calorie overages? How long will it take to gain the momentum you lose?

Make sure you're not hungry when you go out for a big meal or buffet. Eat normally throughout the day, working in as many good-for-you foods as you know you need. This doesn't always work for everyone. My dad just went to a special breakfast held in honor of this year's exemplary students at his granddaughter Emily's school district. She was being recognized for her outstanding achievements as a fifth grader. Before he went, he had his usual healthy and filling breakfast of oatmeal and fruit juice.

When confronted by less then tempting choices meant to please an audience of mostly kids, he couldn't help but "taste" the food. After all, it was served to him, and "everyone" was eating. Before he knew it, he had "tasted" the pancakes, the sausage and the "Alice in Wonderland"-size muffins. On any other day, he would never have eaten extra breakfast food. But because it was put before him, he ate it.

What goes in must come off
He rode an extra half hour on his bike to make up for it. I saw him after dinner and asked him if it was worth the splurge. "It seemed like it at the time, but I could be on the couch watching a war movie right now. Instead, it's 8:30 at night, and I'm peddling my bike. There will be no next-time pancakes and sausage unless your mother makes them from scratch. It's been 20 years since she put out a spread like that, so I know I'm safe."

Science repeatedly shows when more food is put in front of us, we eat more. In a study conducted by the University of Illinois, "Philadelphia moviegoers were given medium or large buckets of stale, 14-day-old popcorn that tasted terrible. The people who got the large buckets ate 31 percent more than the people who got the medium buckets. When asked how much they'd consumed, both groups thought they had eaten the same amount of popcorn."

Stay engaged
Denial is bliss or it wouldn't be so popular. Stay engaged with your internal dialogue. Keep aligning your behavior with your goals. Your mindset is your best tool. Decide that you will not blow it on Memorial Day weekend. Plan to succeed by eating especially well the days leading up to the event and by all means, eat normally on buffet day. Do you really want to peddle off all the side salads and a half dozen desserts for just a taste of each? When you're cruising the buffet line, leave behind everything that looks even the least bit desirable and move on. If the potato salad up and hands you a scoop, before you dig in, ask yourself if it's worth an extra trip around the block or 15 minutes on the treadmill.

If you feel drawn to taste and sample everything, make sure your portions are truly sample-size. Don't take more than a teaspoon of anything. And don't kid yourself, a teaspoon is not a quarter-cup. It's half-dose of icky-tasting cough syrup and not a drop more. If something is particularly good, you can always go back for more. Sometimes, the thought of having to go back for "seconds" is enough to keep me in my seat. Especially if I pretend there are unmarked portion control agents in the room ready to hand out $5,000 citations. As for the desserts, use the buddy system. Grab a friend, choose one dessert each, taste and share and try to leave something behind.

Take matters into your own hands
Since you're going to your sister's house, bring a dish. Put some effort into creating something appealing and healthy so there's something festive and "safe" for you to eat. Because there will be lots of things you want to taste, a really great salad is an easy way to fulfill your all-you-can-eat fantasies without going overboard. Portobello mushroom salad with blue cheese (portion controlled, of course) is one of my favorite take-a-long suppers, but be sure to dress it at the last minute. The mushrooms and breadcrumbs can be made a day ahead. To prepare, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 1 pound Portobello mushrooms with olive oil or nonstick cooking spray. Place in a single layer in a baking dish just pan large enough to hold them. Add 2 tablespoons of water to dish and cover tightly with foil. Bake, turning once at the halfway point or until completely cooked through and softened, about 25-35 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, pour 4 cups hand torn bite size breadcrumbs onto cookie sheet and bake 20-25 minutes or until golden. Cool.

To plate the salad, in a large bowl toss together mushrooms, 1/2 pound blanched or steamed green beans, 3 roasted, peeled and deseeded peppers (rinsed and drained jarred roasted peppers are just fine) and 10 cups of salad greens. Add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, coarse and cracked black pepper to taste and balsamic vinegar to taste, about 1-2 tablespoons. Toss until completely coated. Add breadcrumbs, toss once more, taste and adjust seasonings. Top with crumbled cheese, about 3 ounces crumbled Maytag Blue Cheese. Serve immediately.

kd@chefkathleen.com